Dragline excavator



y 8 1952 E. s. NICKLES 2,602,245

. DRAGLINE EXCAVATOR Filed Nov. 22, 1946 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR.

J ly 1952 E. B. NICKLES DRAGLINE EXCAVATOR Fil ed Nov. 22, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

zf arneq July 8, 1952 E. B. NICKLES 2,602,245

' DRAGLINE EXCAVATOR Filed Nov. 22, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

VQZN 49W Jaime) Patented July 8, 1952 UNITED sT rss PATENT 2,602,245 DRAGLINE xoAv 'roa Edward B. Nickles, Manitowoc, Wis. Application November 22, 1946, Serial No. 711,742

This invention relates to a dragline excavator. Objects of this invention are to provide a dragline excavator in which the operator is directly in line with the ditch where he can see the work at all times and which is so constructed that it allows the bucket to be drawn directly lengthwise of the ditch to thus enable the operator to dig a straight, vertical-sided ditch which is an ideal type of ditch for laying pipe lines or similar work.

Further objects are to provide a dragline excavator in which the bucket may be drawn directly lengthwise of a previously constructed verticalsided ditch to enable the operator to readily clean the ditch, and which is so made that it provides a long stroke for the bucket, which is highly desirable when the bucket removes only a small amount of ground for each unit length of travel. The hereinabove characteristics greatly decrease the time required for cleaning a ditch- A further object of this invention is to provide a dragline excavator which is so made that the operator can fill the bucket either by pulling in the dragline, where one stroke would completely fill the bucket, or by moving the machine in its entirety lengthwise of the ditch or trench where a'greater distance than the length of one stroke is required to fill the bucket. I

Further objects are to provide a dragline excavator in which there is a main operators control station or cab located on the body portion of the device itself and which is also provided with an auxiliary operators cab or control station which normally is positioned laterally of the main body portion and directly over the ditch so that the operator is enabled to look directly along the ditch and see the work at all times, and which is so made that the auxiliary cabcan be folded up and over the main body portion to thus enable the dragline excavator to be transported under its own power with the same facility as an ordinary type of crane, thus requiring the minimum amount of clearance for the travel of the device.

Embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the dragline excavator with most of the cablesomitted, showing the apparatus in its position while digging a ditch and showing the auxiliary cab 'or auxiliary control station in its extended position.

Figure 2 is a side elevation .of the dragline excavator showing the auxiliary cab in its extended position.

Figure 3 is a plan view partly broken away with most of the cables omitted, showing the auxiliary cab in its folded position.

2 Claims. (Cl. 37116) Figure 4 is a front elevation with the boom and mostof the cables omitted, showing the auxiliary cab in its extended position and showing a modified form 'of the invention. a

' Figure dis a view corresponding to Figured showing the device of Figure 1 with the auxiliary cab in its folded position and with the boom and most of the cables omitted.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view showing the auxiliary cab in its partly raised or folded position.

Figure 7 is a view corresponding-to Figure 6 showing the auxiliary cab in its completely folded position. 1

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the dragline excavator comprises a cab'or revolu-' bly mounted body portion I supported from a crawler base 2 provided with a pair of crawlers 3. The device is provided with a boom 4 pivoted on the revolubly mounted body portion l in the usual manner and raised or loweredby means of a boom cable 5, which may be wound upon a boom hoist drum 6 driven from an engine I in any usualor customary manner. Other drums are 'providedand are indicated generallyby the reference character}. These drums 8' are coaxially mounted and are independently controlled and may be of the general type illustrated in the United States Patent No. 2,254,083 of August 26, 1941 issued to Nickles et al. for Remotely Controlled Crane or the'Like.

drum controls the dragline or dragline cable l0.

These cables 9 and I0 control the operation of.

the dragline bucket [I in the usual and well known manner.

A main control station 12 is located within the main cab or body portion 1, see Figure 1, and an auxiliary control station or cab I3 is provided and is carried bya frame structure indicated gen erally at M and pivoted to the body portion l and arranged to be extended as shown in Figure 1 or to be folded up against the main body portion as shown in Figure5, in a manner hereinafter to appear. i

Ea'ch 'of the control stations 12 and i3 is provided with a series of controls of any suitable type; for instance, the controls in the main control station I2 are indicated by the reference character l5 and the controls in the auxiliary control station or cab I3 areindicated bythe reference character I6.

It is to be noted from reference to Figure 1 that the dragline cable l0 extends from the bucket through a sheave assembly I! pivotedadjacent- One of the drums 8' controls the main hoist cable 9 and the other the auxiliary cab l3 and through a fair lead IB swivelly or pivotally carried by the main body portion I in the usual or well known manner. When the auxiliary cab is in its extended position a brace member indicated by the reference character I9 is attached to lugs carried by the main body portion and by the frame I 4 to rigidly hold the frame in its extended position. A safety cable 20 is permanently attached to the auxiliary frame I4 andto the body portion so' as to limit the downward rocking of the auixilary frame I4 and auxiliary cab I3 until the brace I9 can be attached.

When it is deired to dig a ditch as indicated bythe reference character 2| in Figure 1, the auxiliary cab or auxiliary station I3 is positioned directly over the trench with the dragline running.

lengthwise of the trench. When the bucket II is pulled towards the auixilary cab I3, it is pulled directly longitudinally of the trench and thus theoperator is enabled to cut a vertical sided trench which is ideal for laying pipe and similar operations.

Obviously when thebucket is filled, it is raised and swung away from the trench and dumped in the usual manner.

' The operator, it will be seen, is directly in line with the trench and can see the work at all times and the bucket is drawn directly towards the auxiliarycab.

Thus it is possible to use a dragline type of excavator and yet cut a vertical sided trench with the utmost ease and in a very rapid manner.

It is to be noted also that a very eifective arrangementhas-been provided by this invention as along stroke forthe bucket is, secured; Thisis particularly advantageous when it is desired to clean out a trench if .the bucket is only partially,

filled when drawn over a considerable distance. Also it is to be noted that if the bucket is not completely filled in its long normal stroke, that the construction is such that the crawlers maybe operated and theentire device may travellengtln wise of the trench until the bucket is filled.

When it is-desired to transport the dragline excavator under it own power, it is not desirable to-have the auxiliary cab in its extended position. The constructionis such that the auxiliary cab maybe readily folded up and over the main body portion I and thus be positioned where it will notinterfere with the normal travel of the device and will-not require any additional clearance in passing obstacles.

When it is desired to fold the auxiliary cab up over the main cab or body portion, the strut or brace I 9 is detached at both ends. Thereafter the boom 4 is elevated and the dragline cable I is "tightened. The reaction produced at the sheave assembly H on the auxiliary frame or pivotedfrarne I4 causes the frame to rock upwardly and approach the final position shown in Figure 5. As the'auxiliary cab passes upwardly it passes over the boom hoist cable 5, as shown in Figure 6, and after it has passed over dead center it is allowed to rest on the cable 5 to prevent it from dropping down suddenly into its folded position.

Thereafter the boom is lowered and this lessens the angle of the boom hoist cable 5 and allows the auxiliary cab I3 to settle down into its final position as shown in Figures 7 and 5.

If desired, a relatively small diameter elongated roller 22 may be revolubly mounted on the inner vertical side of the auxiliary cab I3 as shown in the modified form in Figure 4 so that this elongated roller 22 will engage the boom hoist cable 5 when the auxiliary cab is being rocked upwardly as hereinabove described.

It will be seen that a novel dragline excavator has been provided by this invention in which the operator is directly in line with the ditch Where he can see the work at all times, and in which the bucket is drawn directly lengthwise of the ditch, thus greatly facilitating cleaning of the ditch on the one hand, and making it possible to readily dig a vertical sided ditch with a dragline excavator.

Further it will be seen that although this dragline excavator has the above noted marked advantages. over the usual form of dragline excavator, nevertheless, it does not require any more clearance on the roadway when it is being transported under its own power from one location to another location as the auxiliary cab and auxiliary frame are folded up and are out of the way when the device is to be moved to another location.

It is to be understood that the usual means are provided forv driving the crawlers from the engine andforswinging the boomlaterally, all

of the operations of the dragline excavator beingv i such description isintended as illustrative rather than limiting, as'the invention may be variously embodiedand is to be nterpreted as claimed.

I claim:

1. A dragline excavator comprising a body portion having power means and a main control station, a base portion revolubly supporting said body portion and provided with running gear arrangedtobe-driven from said power means, a.

boom projecting from said body portion, an auxiliary control. station normally spaced laterally from said body portion, a frame supporting said auxiliary control station and pivoted to said body portion and arranged to be rocked upwardly into proximity to said body portion to position said auxiliary control station above said body portion when said auxiliary control station is not in use, a dragline bucket, a dragline and a main hoist line extending from'adjacent said auxiliary control station and said boom, respectively, to said dragline bucket and arranged to be operated from said 'power means, and a removable brace arranged to lock said frame in extended position.

2. A dragline excavator comprising a body portion having power means and a main control sta tion, a base portion revolubly supporting said body portion and providedwith running gear arranged to be driven from said power means, a boom projecting from said body portion, an auxil iary control station normally spaced laterally from said body portion, a frame supporting said auxiliary control station and pivoted to said body portion and arranged to be rocked upwardly into proximity to said body portion to position said auxiliary control station above said'body portion when said auxiliary control station is not in use, a dragline bucket, a dragline and a main hoist line extending from adjacent said auxiliary control station and said boom, respectively, to said dragline bucket and arranged to be operated from said power means, and a removable brace arranged to lock said frame in extended position, said dragline being arranged to produce a force component for rocking said auxiliary control station upwardly when said brace is removed.

EDWARD B. NICKLES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in .the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Nickles et a1 Aug. 26, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date GreatBritain Oct. 5, 1925 Great Britain Mar. 20, 1939 

